One more Dance, One last Kiss
by FireboltPheonix
Summary: During the final Battle Hermione reflectsthe reflection is the story. She remembers a time when she truly was happy. Will it, in the end, be enough to save her and keep her alive? 4th Year.[[HermioneCedric]]
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

**A/N: **It's a Hermione/Cedric. I was against this ship until very recently. I just decided to check some out and they were fabulous! Its fourth year, well it's not set in fourth year it starts with Hermione in the Final Battle, then the rest of the story will be written as if it was set in fourth year, even though its just a ort of flash back on Hermiones part. Sounds confusing – hope you understand. Even when the final book is released I will continue with this!

**Disclaimer: **J.K Rowling owns it all. I own nothing but my mind.

* * *

Hermione sent a stunning spell at Dolohov as he tried to flatten Neville. Spells flew around her. Hundreds of witches and wizards were fighting each other. Creatures of all shapes and sizes were involved too. They were spread out all around Hogwarts' grounds. A crumbling Hogwarts was looming behind her.

"HERMIONE" She ducked and turned, a green jet just missing her head. She saw Ron was who had warned her.

"THANKS RON" She shouted over to him. He smiled and waved his hand, as if saying, it was nothing. He then ran over to where Fred was lying on the ground, clutching an overly large ankle while Hermione headed into the crowds of Death Eaters and Order members. The Order had increased its amount of members greatly after Dumbledores death. Everyone had wanted to avenge someone. Not one person had not, lost someone so far in the war. Draco Malfoy was a spy for the Order. Only a select few knew this, but every member had been warned to keep him alive. Hermione was one of the few who knew. Every night he'd arrive at Headquarters and would just retreat to a room he'd been given. No one had asked him any questions. Well Hermione had. Surprisingly he hadn't called her a mudblood, he'd just told her to keep her nose out of his business and had smirked knowing that there was at least one thing she didn't know. She saw him now, a few meters to her left, fighting McNair, a fellow Death Eater. He'd been with the Death Eaters when they'd gained entrance to the grounds but as soon as the fighting had happened he'd shown his true colours. He was a member of the Order and now he was most wanted on every Death Eaters list, even more wanted than Harry.

Hermione, hating herself for it sent a killing curse at Crabbe senior and watched as he froze and fell to the floor, a look of pure shock on his face. She rushed over and cast a quick healing spell over Luna, they'd been taught the basics by Madame Pompfrey.

"Luna? Are you okay?"

Luna stayed still, a wave of panic crashed over Hermione. She felt like crying but ever so slowly Lunas grey eyes fluttered open. Hermione nearly fainted with relief.

"Hermione?"

"You're okay! Oh, I thought you were-"

"I was not dead, I was merely embracing a cotton winged Lari" She said matter-of-factly, though in a dreamy sort of way.

Hermione could barley contain her laughter, despite what was going on all around her, "Oh, that's nice" She managed, before pulling Luna to her feet, hugging her briefly and then setting off again, trying to find Harry and to help him reach Voldemort. She ran up a hill, sending curses over her shoulder as she did so. She reached the top and threw herself down on her stomach, so as not to be noticed.

She saw him, Harry. He was a couple of hundred meters from the centre, where Voldemort stood, surrounded by loyal Death Eaters. She knew, deep down, that he wouldn't be able to make it to the centre without being attacked.

Hermione felt a wave of cold all of a sudden. Only a few others seemed to notice it. She looked over to the Black Lake and saw, with pure horror that it was freezing over, fast. She blinked and it was solid ice. As if on cue she heard it, the shaky, raspy, rattle of a Dementors breath. She looked up and saw thousands of them, swooping over the grounds, taking effect on all, except Voldemort. Hermione saw Harry start to sway and knew that he didn't have enough left in him to conjure a Patronus like he did in their third year.

Then she felt it, two hearts beating in time. It was as if someone else was inside of her, she could feel another heart beat than her own, and instead of feeling scare she welcomed it, she'd missed that feeling.

"Expecto Patronum" Hermione cried, thinking of how it would feel to have the war over finally. An otter erupted from the end of her wand, but it was smoky, it disappeared after a few seconds. Panic ran through every inch of her. She saw Ron fall and not get back up, Percy ran over and punched the Death Eater who'd done it but he was blasted away. Hermione couldn't feel anything. Every happy memory was slipping away from her. But then, as if something had ignited inside of her, she remembered it, as if it was yesterday, and slowly she closed her eyes, allowing herself a few seconds to remember the past and to forget the present.

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**A/N: **So that's it. No, only messing! This is the present. But the rest of the story will be the past, but told as if it was set in the present. Then we will return to the present! Hard to understand, I know! But you will! Let me know what you think.

**Love, FirebolT**PheoniX.

X **x **O **x** X

P.S reviewREVIEWreviewREVIEWreviewREVIEWreview!


	2. Locked Library Doors

**Locked Library Doors**

**A/N: **I know the first chapter was extremely short, it was meant to be! This chapter is the past but its being told like it's the present. The same will happen until the end of the story. The last chapter will be the present, like we experienced in Chapter 1. Er, on with the story I guess!

**Disclaimer: **J.K Rowling owns it all.

* * *

It was the first Saturday back in school and Hermione was outside with Ron and Harry, doing their homework. 

"Hermione" Ron whined, "What does Snape want us to do again?"

Hermione inwardly groaned at her best friends' stupidity, "He wants us to write a foot on the uses of Moonstone"

"Oh" Ron stayed quiet for a few seconds then, "What are Moonstones?"

The next few hours were spent by Hermione teaching the boys about Moonstones and its properties, effects and uses. They all spent the last half hour before lunch putting the finishes to their essays.

"Done" Hermione announced happily as she rolled up her parchment and sealed it, putting it in her bag. Harry finished not long after. Ron still hadn't finished so Harry and Hermione had to tempt him with food to stop his ranting about Snape.

"Oh its lunch time Ronald. Foood" Hermione teased.

"Mmmm, is that Shepards Pie I smell?" Harry said to his friend, grinning.

Rons head snapped up and he started sniffing the air, "Nice one, I'm starved", He then proceeded stuffing everything into his bag. The trio made their way back up to the castle, talking about how hungry they were.

They sat down at the Gryffindor table. Hermione looked suspiciously at the food.

"Mione, you're not going to stop eating again are you? You'll be starved" Harry pointed out.

"Mmph, zelvz fuzbee ofundyud" Ron said, his mouth full.

Hermione looked at him, disgusted. "What did you say?"

He swallowed. "The elves would be offended" He then took a large gulp of pumpkin juice and returned to his mountain that was Shepards Pie.

Hermione took some chicken and fixed herself a chicken salad sandwich. She chatted animatedly to Harry all through lunch about house elves and how she could make a difference.

"Yeah, great" Harry said not one bit enthusiastic. Ron choked on his ice-cream at Harrys' roll of his eyes. Hermione didn't notice - she was too caught up in house-elves rights. After lunch Harry said he was planning on going out to the pitch to practise his Quidditch. Ron asked could he join him and have a go on the Firebolt. They left Hermione who decided she'd go up to the library. She put her bag over her shoulder and set off.

Hermione rounded the corner that led to the library and saw that the library was closed.

_That's odd. The library's never closed. Ever._

She was puzzled by this so walked quickly to the door and knocked – five times. Then she put her bag on the floor and started banging the double doors with her tiny fists. She sighed in frustration. Then went back down to a broom cupboard she'd passed before entering the corridor. She picked a broom out and then marched, matter-of-factly towards the library. She stopped around ten meters short of the doors and put the broom out infront of her. She then charged at the doors with the broom.

BANG!

Hermione was in a daze on the floor. The broom had snapped in half. She heard chuckling come form somewhere.

"Hey, you need some help?" A guy was speaking to her. She couldn't see who he was though as she still felt like she was spinning.

"Who are you?" He chuckled again and helped Hermione to her feet. Finally, she found her balance and everything stopped spinning. Then she saw who it was.

He was quiet tall and had grey eyes.

"Don't I know you from somewhere?" Hermione asked him, hoping she didn't sound rude.

"I dunno, I think I've seen you somewhere aswell"

A silence followed, both of them trying to remember the other. Then, he remembered.

"You were with the Weasleys weren't you? At the Quidditch World Cup?"

Then it dawned on her, "Yeah I was. I'm Hermione by the way. Hermione Granger"

"I'm Cedric, Cedric Diggory. Er, do you need to get into the library?"

"What makes you think that?" Hermione asked sarcastically.

"Er, because you smashed a broom trying to open the doors" He said, obviously not catching the sarcasm in her tone.

Hermione, in defeat, slid down the wall opposite the doors. Cedric did the same.

"Why do _you_ want to be in the library anyway?" She cringed after noticing how she'd said 'you'.

"_I_ actually like the library. It's my haven. Though _you_ wouldn't understand"

"Actually, that's exactly how I'd describe the library. Well that and the fact it's a fountain of knowledge!"

He smiled at the passion in her voice as she talked about the library.

"So, you come here a lot then?" He inquired.

"Practically every day. Sometimes, I sneak in here, just to think" She added quietly.

Then Hermione cast the Summoning charm on her bag, it dragged across the floor making a loud noise. The doors opened and Madam Pince stuck her head out.

"What are you doing on the floor making such a racket?" She snapped at them.

"I – we – the doors were locked!" Cedric managed at last.

"So?"

"So, it's after lunch!"

"OH!" She closed the doors leaving a bewildered Hermione and Cedric sitting on the floor. Then, a minute or so later Argus Filch stepped out of the doors, looking as though he hadn't slept. He glared at them.

"Irma – until we meet again" He said to the librarian in a different voice than the one he usually used to students, it was softer. He sent another glare at the two students and shuffled away, off down the corridor, out of sight.

"Come in" Madam Pince said roughly and opened the doors. Hermione got up, put her bag on her shoulder and entered Hogwarts library, shortly followed by Cedric. Madam Pince left them and went into her office.

They walked into the depths of the library before laughing. There were tears in Hermiones eyes. Cedric was doubled over and looked like he was having trouble breathing.

"Filch and Madam Pince?" Hermione squealed. After a few minutes they'd calmed down. Cedric was standing again and was nearly twice the height of Hermione.

"I better go and get my book. Bye" She said to him

"Bye"

She set off, taking a left and then another left then, finding it she sat down on an armchair. And got into Hogwarts: A History. She couldn't concentrate though. So tore off bit of parchment and wrote down one of her favourite quotes:

_You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself._

She folded it up and continued reading, feeling a lot better. Then, an hour later decided to leave, so put the book back on its shelf.

Hermione was halfway through the wilderness that is the library with its many tens of thousands of books on thousands of shelves when she saw a lone figure trying to tear his hair out while reading a book.

"Cedric?" She asked tentatively.

He looked up, his grey eyes wide in surprise.

"Hermione - hey. Did you find your book?"

She nodded, "What are you reading?"

"My History of Magic book, it's my worst subject. I can only ever get Acceptable and my father wants me to get Outstanding in all my N.E.W.T's.

"Well, that's kind of mean. Shouldn't he just be happy with what you achieve rather than what you didn't?"

He smiled at her and looked at her as if she was naive, "You don't know my father. I'm his bloody perfect son. Cedric this…Cedric that. Did you hear how he talked to your friend Harry at The World Cup?"

Hermione shifted uncomfortably from her right foot to her left foot before answering.

"Well History of Magic, is one of my best subjects. I don't care for it much, but I have pretty steady grades in it. I'll leave you get back to your work then. Bye"

He waved at her and she left him surrounded by books. She was after passing three shelves when she felt someone grip her arm. Turning she saw it was Cedric.

"I, uh, know you might not know NEWT History of Magic" Hermione glared indignantly at him and he hastened to continue, "But you seem to be extremely smart, and, er, I was wondering of you could sort of, tutor me in the subject" He said not looking at her but looking at his feet.

She considered him for awhile, and then decided, "Yeah alright. I could do that" He ruffled her bushy hair, "Once you never ruffle my hair again!"

"Deal" He smiled toothily down at her, "So, when do we start?"

"How about Monday from seven to eight, since the library closes then"

"Okay"

"See you then"

"Thanks Hermione"

She waved and left the library, desperate to find Ron and make him do Snapes essay.

_Who would've thought that, I, a fourth year, would be tutoring, Cedric Diggory, a sixth year, in History of Magic? Not me!_

"Harry! Wait for me. How was Quidditch?" She caught up with Harry as she neared the Gryffindor tower, and they entered the portrait hole talking about Quidditch. But after a few seconds Hermien was back to talking about house-elves and how they were so poorly represnted in the Ministry and how they should get paid for their fantastic work.

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**A/N: **Just let me know what you think. Chapters may be short, but I couldn't wait to get it up and running. They'll increase in length! **Review! **And make me happy! 

Love, FirebolT**PheoniX**

**X x** O** x X**


	3. Flying to the Moon

**Flying to the Moon**

**A/N: **Major delay in this, sorry. I lost faith in this pair for awhile, but just read a fic and it relit my fire for this fic!! Hope I haven't lost any readers in the delay between updating!!! Just, be patient. This chapter will be long – I hope!!

**Disclaimer:** J.K Rowling owns it anything Harry Potter related. All of it. Everything. I think you get the idea!!

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Monday came faster than Hermione had anticipated. She was fretting about what she could teach Cedric that he didn't already know. I mean, he was after all a sixth year. That's two years more experience. At dinner Hermione ate quickly, it was twenty to seven. 

"Do you think we'll be able to get passed Dumbledores age line?" Ron was asking Harry and Neville.

"I dunno, its Dumbledore isn't it?" Harry said, shrugging slightly.

"If we can, I'll have to. My Gran would kill me otherwise, wondering why I didn't enter" Neville said as he played with his potatoes.

"You won't be able to get passed it, only people of age will be able to. Dumbledore is the greatest wizard in centuries. You think you - fourth years, will be able to get passed his age line?" Hermione scoffed.

"Nobody asked your opinion!" said Ron pointedly.

Hermione pretended not to hear, but Ron's rudeness hurt her. He said things like that all the time without thinking twice, about how Hermione felt. Harry seemed to pick up on it though and nudged Ron, but this had no effect, he just kept on thinking of ideas to get past the age line. At five to seven Hermione stood up.

"See you guys later"

"Where're you going?" Harry asked, halfway through his second potion of treacle tart.

"Library"

"Do you go anywhere else? Get a life, Mione" Ron said.

"Well, Ronald, if you want me to 'get a life' that's exactly what I'll do! And I'll try _not_ to involve you" Hermione said shrilly. She stalked out of the Great Hall, leaving an exasperated Harry, and a confused Ron.

"He doesn't even realise he's doing it!" She said aloud as she passed the statue of the one-eyed witch.

Hermione soon reached the library. She went to the History of Magic section, and sat at the table. She took out fresh parchment, a quill and her History of Magic book. She'd already made a few notes when Cedric appeared out of the Dangerous Beasts, section.

"Hey" He said as he sat opposite Hermione.

"Hi" Looking up at, for some reason, he made all her, Ron troubles, melt away, for which she was grateful.

"Er, listen, if you-" Cedric began.

"You want to stop this already? Is it because I'm younger, and you feel stupid? I'm sorry, I'll just go" Hermione stood up, but so did Cedric.

"No, nothing like that"

"Oh. Well what then?" Hermione asked, blushing a bit with embarrassment.

"We could skip tonight if you'd like?"

"Why would I like to skip tonight?"

"Well, I kinda heard you breaking up with your Weasley friend, and thought maybe-"

"Breaking up with him?!" Hermione asked, shocked.

"Well, yeah, the whole Hall heard-"

"Ron and I aren't dating" Hermione said, wishing it to be true though, "We're just friends. And he was being pig headed and ignorant so – I – well you heard it" Hermione finished sheepishly.

"Oh, right, sorry about that" He said, avoiding Hermiones eye.

"You don't need to be, it's all Rons fault. Do you want to study now?"

"Yeah, right"

They both sat down, and Hermione started by finding out what he knew already. After that, she started revising Goblins with him. After twenty minutes or so, Hermione voiced her thoughts.

"I thought nearly, everyone drops History of Magic after doing their OWLs? Why'd you keep it on?"

Cedric looked up from his notes, looking mildly surprised, "I thought you were smart Granger?"

"I am" said Hermione indignantly.

"Well, haven't you picked up on the fact that I said, my _dad_ wants me to get Outstanding?"

"Yeah, but, that would mean that your dad made you keep on a subject you didn't like"

"That's exactly what he did! Now, I love my dad and all, but he's so controlling. He picked my subjects for my N.E.W.Ts. He's got my whole life mapped out for me, the only thing he hasn't done is have me betrothed me to anyone, though I'll never say he won't"

"But that's – that's so-" Hermione struggled to find the right words to say.

"I know" Cedric said, looking back down at his notes.

"We can stop this if you want, I mean, you don't even want to learn it!"

Cedric looked up at her again, his grey eyes searching her own brown ones, "Should I fail it purposely or ace it for him?"

"I – you decide"

"No, I need someone's opinion. What'd you think?"

"Honestly?" Hermione asked him nervously.

"Honestly"

"Well, you could fail it, but then you'd be bummed with having a Dreadful or Troll – not that you'd get that, but you know what I mean. Or, you could study, and pass, you might not ace it but at least you can say, you studied it, your dad might think it's for him, but, then, with all the options you'll have, you could have a variety of jobs to choose from, none of them relying on your dads plans. But that's just my opinion, I mean, its down to you" Hermione looked away, but could feel his eyes on her.

"You know what? I think I'll study for awhile, and if my grades improve, we'll see where it goes from there" He said finally.

"Good idea"

"You gave it to me! So tell me Granger, what do you want to do when you finish Hogwarts?" He asked, smiling a little, his worries seemingly solved, for now.

"I want to do something for house-elves. They're under-represented everywhere. They need to be freed. They need to know about the world. I also want to do something for Muggleborns; we need more protection in the Wizarding world. Oh, and to aid the prevention of cruelty to Magical Creatures"

Cedric looked amazed, "Not much then!" He said with a smirk.

Hermione laughed, "No, nothing too big"

"Yeah, because they're tiny projects" He said rolling his eyes.

They chatted for awhile, forgetting to study. Hermione liked how he treated her as an equal; he didn't look down on her for being two years his junior. Then she looked at her watch.

"It's ten past eight! The library closes at eight!"

They packed everything into their bags and ran to the wooden doors. They were locked.

"What're we going to do?" Hermione whined, "We're stuck here"

"You think?" Cedric asked sarcastically.

"No, I know!"

"Stop whining! I'll figure something out"

Hermione stopped for a minute; it was ironic for someone else to take control of a situation like this, she felt embarrassed too, as if she was behaving like a child.

"So, the doors are definitely locked?" Cedric asked after a few minutes.

"Yeah" Hermione answered.

"Alohamora" Cedric cast at the keyhole. It didn't open.

"Diggory, you think if it was that easy to unlock the library they'd bother locking it at all?" Hermione pointed out sarcastically.

He stopped his pacing, "You called me Diggory"

"You called me Granger"

He smiled, and resumed his pacing, "There's only one way out" He said after awhile.

"What's that?"

"The other place you like to attack" He said smirking.

"The other place I what?" Hermione asked, totally confused.

He walked through the library and Hermione followed until they reached the windows. Then Hermione remembered.

"Oh, I get you now! But I was only joking then"

"I do know that. Give me some credit!" He opened one of the larger windows and climbed out onto its slightly larger-than-normal sized window ledge.

"Cedric! What are you doing, get back in here right now!"

Cedric turned his head to look at Hermione - he was smirking and had raised one eyebrow.

"I mean it, Diggory, get in now!" Hermione hissed out at him.

"Hermione do you trust me?"

"I barely know you, how can I trust you?"

He shrugged, "Do you trust me?"

"Repeating the question is not going to make me trust you!"

"If I was Weasley or Potter, would you trust me?"

"Yeah, obviously, but you're not-"

"-pretend I am"

"Yeah, because that'll work! Why'd you want me to trust you anyway, just get back in here, there's no need for you to kill yourself! You're a great prefect, don't listen to the Slytherins!"

"Kill myself? I'm not going to kill myself And what exactly do the Slytherins say?" He said with a small laugh.

"Then why are you standing on the window ledge? They, uh, say nothing."

He flicked his wand and turned back to Hermione, "Take my hand Granger" He instructed and he offered her a hand.

Hermione just looked at it, "Hermione" She looked up at the sound of her name, her brown eyes meeting his grey ones, "Take my hand…please. I will not let you fall, I promise" He kept a steady gaze at Hermione. Eventually, after what seemed like forever, Hermione cautiously put her hand on top of his outstretched one. It was warm, and closed over hers tightly, making her feel more secure. He gently pulled her out onto the ledge. She stood there cautiously, her hand in his, the wind whipping through her already wild hair.

"What are we doing?" she shouted slightly.

"Waiting" He replied, just as loudly.

"For what, people to see us? Way up here? Late at night?"

"Is eight past your bed time, Granger?" He teased.

"No" She replied coolly, "I meant will people be outside at eight?"

"I know two people who will be?"

"Who?"

"Us"

"Ooooh, well, how're we gonna save ourselves?"

"Correction, I'm the one saving you!" He said grinning down at her, his hair blowing all over the place.

"What-?"

Before Hermione could finish her question a broomstick appeared out of nowhere.

"A Summoning Charm. Effective" Hermione said, feeling a bit stupid she hadn't thought of it.

Cedric swung one leg onto the broom and fixed himself on it. Then, keeping it steady, and still holding Hermiones hand, he pulled her forwards.

"Diggory, I don't fly! I can't! Never will, never want to!" Hermione protested.

"Awh, come on Granger, trust me"

"I don't trust you"

"You trusted me enough to come onto the window ledge. Trust me to do this tiny little thing extra"

"TINY LITTLE THING? You want me to go from a window ledge to a broomstick, and call that tiny? I've never flown before. I can't…I'm afraid of flying if you want to know. I prefer to be on the ground"

"Well, this will take you to the ground, or else you can stay on the ledge till the library opens again tomorrow. Which is it?"

"Cedric, I'm afraid of flying. Seriously. It's my one major fear. Please can we just stay up here?" She pleaded with him.

"Hermione. I'm a steady flyer, I won't let you fall. We'll be on the ground in seconds – guaranteed. Come on, one more ounce of trust and you're safe"

Hermione, against all her better judgements, cautiously walked forwards, being tugged along by Cedric's hand. She sat behind him on the broomstick that had beaten Harry at Quidditch last year, and she wrapped her arms as tightly as she could around his waist.

"You ready?" He shouted at her, the wind was picking up.

She shook her head vigorously, he smiled and took off.

Hermione managed to hold in her screams – just about. After a few seconds she opened her eyes, they were flying, up high, nowhere near the ground.

"DIGGORY! YOU SAID SECONDS! I KNEW I SHOULDN'T HAVE TRUSTED YOU" she roared at him. Faintly, she heard him laugh. Then suddenly, the broom stopped.

"Is it over?" Hermione asked, as her eyes were shut tightly.

"Hermione, open your eyes" He whispered.

She did as she was told. All she saw was a mountain, "Where are-?"

"Look up" He interrupted. Again, she did as instructed. There were millions of stars sparkling above them.

"Oh, its beautiful" Slowly Cedric flew up amongst them. Hermione, afraid of getting pneumonia, cast a quick heating charm on the both of them. She was awestruck. It seemed as though, if she reached out she could catch a star. They were all sizes, tiny, huge and medium sized. They sparkled like the lake did whenever the sun was rising or setting. Like a million diamonds were on its surface.

"What'd you think?" Cedric whispered hoarsely, like he'd lost his voice.

"It's beautiful. Just beautiful" Hermione said, gazing around her.

"Take a look to your left" said Cedric.

She looked, it was Hogwarts. But it was Hogwarts, more beautiful than she had ever seen it. Some of the towers were as high up as them.

"Cedric?"

"Yeah?"

"You see that star, right over the tallest tower?" Hermione asked, pointing at what she saw.

"Uh huh"

"Well, I'm going to name it Comet 63, after your broom" Hermione spoke softly, but he could hear her clearly.

"It's no Firebolt though"

"Yeah, but the Firebolt doesn't have a star named after it does it? How many brooms can say that about themselves?"

"Well, I'm sure if they could talk – none" He said, laughing.

"See, your Comet 63, now has a star of its own" Hermione said happily, for a moment forgetting she was hundreds of feet up in the air.

"Thanks, now I've got to name something after you!" He said, chuckling lightly, "You see that big, round, white thing?"

"The moon?" Hermione asked, wondering how he didn't know it.

"Yeah, do you see the way when it's full, like it is now, that it has a weird kind of design on it?"

"Er, they're called craters"

"Yeah, but see, some of them form a shape?"

"I see"

"Well, that shape, whatever it is, is now forever going to be known as 'Granger', well, to you and me" He said proudly.

"Granger, whoa, that's original!"

They looked around for a few more minutes, but the Heating charm was beginning to wear off, so too, was Hermiones bravado.

"Come on, I'll go down for you" Hermione wrapped her arms around him as he said it. Pretty soon after, they were on the ground, right infront of the Entrance Hall. Hermione unwrapped her arms and got off the broom.

"Well, that was the best study session I've ever had" Cedric exclaimed.

Hermione laughed softly, "Me too. So, are we going to continue?"

"What? Continue flying to the moon? Well, I think – eventually, we might just freeze!" He joked, his grey eyes sparkling like the stars above him.

"No, I mean, with the studying" Hermione said smiling.

"Yeah, I'm up for it if you are. Are you?" He looked her straight in the eyes, the moon was reflected in them, giving them the illusion of being massive.

"Definitely" She answered.

"Do you trust me enough to return to the library on Friday night at five to eight?"

"I might do. You'll just have to wait and see" Hermione replied smirking.

"Oh! So that's how you're going to be? Well, I'll only wait for ten minutes, so try not to be too late if you are coming!"

Hermione laughed.

"You know", Hermione said after awhile as neither of them seemed to feel the need to move, "I think this is the fastest it's ever taken me to trust somebody"

"Really? I think it's the easiest I've gotten on with a girl since I was like five" He said, grinning at her.

"Well, I'm not your ordinary, everyday girl" Hermione said, smiling. She turned, waved and then entered the front doors.

"No, Hermione Granger, you are definitely _not_, my ordinary, everyday girl" He whispered as a gust of wind whipped around him. He shook his head and then took off again, flying towards the Quidditch pitch; he needed to return his broom to the sheds. On the way, he looked up at the moon, he knew that he would never be able to look at another full moon, without thinking of Hermione, or as her crater is called, Granger.

* * *

**A/N:** I hope you like it, it might seem forward, but it's a very . . . different relationship than your norm. As you read, it only took Cedric a few minutes to convince Hermione to fly with him on his broom, something, Harry or Ron could never master in such a short space of time. Anywho, just let me know what you think, and I'm really really really sorry for taking so long to update! Forgive me??

**Love Always,**

FireboltPheonix

x X x X ooo X x X x

_**REVIEW! **_Review! _**REVIEW! **_Review! _**REVIEW!**_ --- Please??!!!


	4. Let the games begin

**Let the games begin**

**A/N: **Everybody – I'm back! LoL!! Now, be open minded about this idea please – it could work!! I repeat could!! Just review…thanks…it's not too much to ask is it??

**Disclaimer:** J.K Rowling owns it all. As you probably know and if you don't then WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN FOR THE PAST DECADE???

* * *

Hermione didn't go to the library on the Friday, well she did, just earlier than _he'd_ said so that she wouldn't see him. She had to check up one final fact before it could begin. It wasn't like she wanted to go to the library with him anyway. She had thought it over that Monday night in bed; she should just leave well enough alone. He was Cedric Diggory, Hufflepuff Seeker, team Captain, prefect and top student. He didn't need tutoring, especially not from a fourth year. It was probably a dare he'd accepted. No, Hermione wasn't going to continue tutoring him. He could find someone else that is, if he really needs tutoring. 

She was just entering the portrait hole when she heard Harry and Ron doing their divination homework. Well, if you could call it that.

"And on Wednesday, I think I'll come off worst in a fight" Ron was saying.

"Aaah, I was going to have a fight. Ok, I'll lose a bet" said Harry.

"Yeah, you'll be betting I'll win my fight…" Ron finished. Hermione snorted, and stuffed her fist in her knuckles to stop herself laughing at the two of them. She stayed in the shadows for ten minutes, waiting for Fred and George to go to bed. Finally, they went. Hermione stood up and walked into the Common room.

"Hello, I've just finished" She lied.

"So have I" Ron said triumphantly, throwing down his quill.

"Not going to have a very good month are you?" She questioned.

"Ah well, at least I'm forewarned" Ron said, yawning.

"You seem to be drowning twice" Hermione pointed out.

After this she told them all about S.P.E.W.

"'Spew'?" Harry asked, picking up a badge and examining it, "What's this about?"

"Not _spew_" Hermione said impatiently, "its S-P-E-W. Stands for the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare"

"Never heard of it" Ron said, leaning back in his armchair.

"Well, of course you haven't. I've only just started it" Hermione said, smiling.

She knew they didn't want to join, but they did anyway, for her, and this, more than anything made Hermione forgive Ron for being so rude on Monday – but he didn't know that. Then Harry had gotten Sirius' reply.

"He's flying north? He's coming back?" Hermione whispered.

"Dumbledores reading what signs?" Ron said looking at his friends, "Harry what's up?"

"I shouldn't've told him" Harry said as he smacked his forehead. It pained Hermione to see him go through any sort of agony. Just like this. Harry offended Hedwig and Hermione knew that this had only made him feel worse.

"Harry" Hermione began her usual regime, of trying to make things better.

"I'm, going to bed. See you in the morning" Harry said shortly, cutting Hermione off. She wasn't offended, he wanted to think. She said goodnight to Ron and Hermione went up to her dormitory and looked up at the moon, it wasn't full anymore. Shaking her head, she undressed and climbed under the covers of her four-poster.

"Forget Diggory, just forget him" She muttered to herself.

The next morning Hermione allowed herself a lie in. She got up around ten and got dressed into jeans and a long-sleeved top. She decided she'd go to the library. But, as she passed a group of Hufflepuffs, Cedric being one of them, she heard him say he was going to the library. So Hermione changed course. She went outside, for some fresh air.

It was quite windy outside so Hermione wrapped her arms around herself. She sat down, and just stayed there, thinking.

For some reason she had a gut feeling that something bad was about to happen and she hoped it had nothing to do with Harry, Ron or Sirius.

"This space taken?" A voice from far away asked.

Hermione shook her head. She felt another presence sit close by. Coming out of her thoughts her eyes widened when she saw Cedric Diggory sitting next to her.

"Oh, so you're alive?" He asked her.

"I – I – I, yeah" Hermione managed, she was too shocked to speak.

"You know, I was meant to be meeting up with this girl last night" He said a he flung rocks into the lake.

"Really?" Hermione squeaked.

"Yeah, and guess what? She didn't show. Not even an Owl to tell me why or anything. Can you believe that?"

Hermione stayed silent.

"I mean, I thought we'd had a great time on Monday, but she obviously didn't think that. Don't you just hate it when that happens?"

Hermione couldn't speak even if she wanted to.

"So, you know, I told her I'd wait ten minutes, but I ended waiting an hour thinking she'd gotten the time wrong. I had this really good thing planned and all - a study plan. Because she's my tutor see? Or, well, she was meant to be. But I had it all mapped out and she didn't even show. How low is that?" He said glancing at Hermione who was pale.

"So low" Hermione managed at last.

"Yeah, so how'd you think I felt?" Cedric asked.

"Horrible, foolish. . .angry, annoyed. . .bummed" Hermione said quietly.

"Yeah, I felt those things, but what I felt most was disappointment, you know? I mean, I thought this girl would be true to her word"

"Well, did she definitely give her word? Did she not just say 'I might'?"

"Well, yeah, but this girl, she knew I'd be waiting right, so why not just come and say no? Face to face?"

"Maybe you would've changed her mind. And didn't you tell her you'd only wait ten minutes? Technically you're in the wrong-"

"I'm in the wrong you stood me up Granger" Cedric said standing up.

"It's not like it was a date" Hermione said, standing up too.

"It wasn't, but it's not like you would've found out seeing as you didn't show"

"Well, excuse me for being precautious" She fired at him.

"Why were you being precautious?"

"What if it was all a dare? A sham? How foolish, horrible, bummed and angry would I have felt then?" They were now practically screaming at each other, although no one could hear them because they were so far out in the grounds.

"You wouldn't've felt those things because it wasn't any of them!"

"But why me? I mean you're top in your year. You have _everything_! Why in the name of Merlin, would you need a fourth year in your life?"

"To tutor me"

"Yeah, because you soooo need tutoring! Your acing every subject except one, get over it, you don't have to be top in everything"

"Look who's talking!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know what it means" He replied coolly.

"Just go and find someone else to tutor you. There are bound to be people – other people who know History of Magic"

Cedric gave Hermione a sceptical look.

"Okay, maybe not, but I'm out. I do not want to tutor you"

"Fine" Cedric said shortly.

"Fine"

"I'm leaving"

"See you"

"But why?" Cedric said, still in the same spot.

"Because…because…Ron's jealous" Hermione didn't know what made her say it.

"You're not tutoring me because your Weasley friend is jealous?" Cedric asked incredulously.

Hermione gulped, and nodded.

"But you're only friends" He pointed out.

"Well" Hermione began, but for some reason Cedric had heard enough. He threw a final stone into the lake and he turned and headed back up to the castle.

Hermione collapsed onto the ground, she started sobbing.

"I don't even know him! Why does he affect me this way?" She cried out loud, "I mean so we flew to the moon, big deal" She tried to convince herself she'd done the right thing in lying about Ron to him. She tried to make herself believe that nothing would've worked. Even on the tutoring side of things.

"I'm being stupid, honestly, I knew him for all of five minutes. Its not like I need him" Hermione laughed at her silly thoughts, stood up and decided she'd go and see if Hagrid was in his hut. He was.

"Hermione, just by yerself?" He said peering around, as if waiting for Harry and Ron to emerge from the invisibility cloak.

"Yeah"

"C'me in, C'me in" Hermione entered his hut. She loved it here, she could come here three times a week, though she could only take it in small doses, "So where're Ron 'nd Harry?"

"I don't know, though I think they said something about Quidditch" Hermione said as she hoisted herself upon one of the chairs around the larger-than-normal sized table.

"That'd be them alrigh'. Tea?"

"I'd love some, thanks"

"So" Hagrid said as he sat down opposite her with two mugs of steaming hot tea, "What 's'matter?"

"Nothing's the matter Hag-"

"Hermione, I've known yeh fer four years, I know when yer upset. What is it?"

"Well, I have this. . .friend. And she was asked to tutor a sixth year. Well, the sixth year asked her to tutor him"

"Righ' go on" He said to her, taking a gulp from his tankard sized mug.

"And she went to the library after dinner on Monday for their first study session…" Soon Hermione was after telling Hagrid everything, except that the sixth year in question was in Hufflepuff and his name was Cedric Diggory, oh and that she was the 'friend', "And then she just had this huge fight with him by the lake and now she's very confused and doesn't know what to feel, I mean, she only knew him for a day practically" Hermione felt a lot lighter after telling Hagrid.

"Well, some relationships happen after a day. Look a' me an' Harry. I on'y knew him fer a day on 'is eleventh bir'day an' look a' us!"

"You're really not helping her Hagrid. Your supposed to support my-her decision"

"Bu' I don' - Hermione, yer friend should've sent 'im somethin' she shouldn't've let 'im standin' there. All I'm sayin' is, maybe yer friend got it wrong an' did she ask him everythin' at their meetin'?"

"Well, not exactly" Hermione said, squirming in her seat.

"Ther' yeh go. She should just go talk ter him. What 'arm can it do if things are as bad as yeh say they ar'?"

"You're right Hagrid"

"Though' I was not supportin' 'er decision?" He asked, smiling slightly.

Hermione ignored this, "Well I better go and find…her to tell her your advice"

"No problem Hermione I'm 'ere anytime if yeh need a chat"

"Bye Hagrid" Hermione said, as she drained her mug and slid off the seat. She opened the door and turned back to her over-sized friend, "Thank you"

"Ah, 'twas nothin'. See ye in class on Monday. The Screwts are doin' great" He called to her.

Hermione grinned at him, "Glad to hear it" She closed the cabins door and made her way up to the castle for lunch.

"Hermione, where've you been? We've been looking everywhere!" Ron said as Hermione sat opposite him.

"I was at Hagrids"

"Well…not _everywhere_! Why were you at Hagrids?"

"Just wanted to see him, do I have to have a reason to go and see him now?"

"Well, no, but we would've went, right Harry? Harry? Harry??" Harry was not paying the slightest bit of attention, Ron was waving his arms at his friend but Hermione followed his gaze and saw Cho Chang, a fifth year that she knew Harry liked. She smiled.

"Are you two sharing a moment or something? You've both got these goofy grins on your faces!"

Harry and Hermione turned around.

"Eh, no, sorry, what were you talking about?" Harry said, pouring himself some pumpkin juice.

"I was saying, that e would've gone and seen Hagrid with Hermione, right?"

"Right, but Hermione you went to the library didn't you?"

"Uh, yeah – but only for a short while, then I went to Hagrids"

"Why?"

"I already told Ron, because I wanted a chat, that wasn't about how to enter the Triwizard Tournament or Quidditch"

"Oh, okay. Sorry if we're a bit one-track minded lately" He apologised, with a quick glance at the Ravenclaw table.

"You're red blooded males; you'll never be anything but!" Hermione said laughing.

They had a great lunch, no squabbles on Ron and Hermiones part, and Harry only zoned out (to planet Cho) once or twice!

"So, what're gonna do now?" Ron asked as they all stood up.

"Homework?" Harry asked tiredly.

"Yeah, but how about we do it outside under the big oak tree? It's probably the last day we'll be able to" Hermione suggested, much to the boys' surprise.

"Hermione" Ron said as they linked arms and exited the Great Hall, "You continue to pleasantly surprise me"

"Thank you Ron, with phrases like that, you're surprising me too!"

They all laughed as they left the Hall, Hermione didn't feel a pair of eyes on her and Rons back.

"Hey, Cedric, When are Quidditch try-outs?" A young Hufflepuff asked him, he turned away from the doors.

"I dunno, Sprout hasn't told me a date"

"Okay, just let me know, yeah?"

"Sure"

"Thanks" The second year said and left. Cedric turned back to the doors a few minutes later and saw the three fourth year Gryffindors going out into the grounds, still linking arms. He saw Harry unhook his arm and fix up his bag, but Hermione and the Weasley stayed linked and walked ahead talking and laughing. He turned away, he to get over it.

_Come on Ced, she's just a girl! A fourth year! She means nothing!_

_Yeah, you keep telling yourself that! She means something Diggory, and you know it!_

_If you can't beat her – get even!_

_No, just talk to her. Don't shout like you did this morning. T-a-l-k! It'll work – trust me._

_Ceddy, you know what'll work? Jealousy, always a good revenge maker!_

_Don't use someone to make her jealous! That's so low. Cedric Erek Diggory that'll ruin any future chance._

_Diggory, there is no future chance. You need to just show her what she's missing. Think about it. She'll go AWOL!!_

_That's 'if' she likes you, which after that she definitely won't._

Cedric shook his head, to clear his internal mental war.

- - -

That night Beauxbatons and Durmstrang arrived. Ron was awestruck when he saw Viktor Krum enter, Hermione was nonplussed. Although, slightly resentful towards him because now, all the boys will talk about will be Quidditch. After that, the Goblet of Fire was unveiled. It interested Hermione greatly, such an old magical object still working, kind of like the Sorting Hat.

"Anybody wishing to submit themselves as a champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the Goblet" said Dumbledore, "Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween, the Goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The Goblet will be placed in the Entrance Hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete.

"To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation" said Dumbledore, "I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the Entrance Hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line"

Hermione thought that the Age Line was a great idea on Dumbledores part. Except people like Fred and George seemed to be taking it very lightly, which Hermione thought was the wrong way to go about it. As the twins tried to come up with other options than an Ageing potion, Hermione was heading towards the marble staircase. She got pushed into to a guy, as the crowd got impatient because Karkaroff was talking to someone and holding up the queue.

"Sorry" she mumbled.

"Don't be, it wasn't your fault - Granger?"

It was Cedric.

"Diggory"

"Why'd you run into me?" He asked narrowing his eyes.

"I didn't and you just said it wasn't my-"

"I know what I said, but that was before I saw it was you"

Hermione couldn't think of any retort, but luckily, or rather, unluckily, a distraction came in the form of Ron.

"Come on Mione - that Karkaroff is barking. Hermione, are you coming?" Ron hadn't looked back as he had spoken – thankfully.

"Go, on, don't want to keep Weasley waiting, do you?" Cedric said with a sneer.

Hermione marched up to Ron, grabbed his hand and raced through the throngs of people. She let go when the crowds started to thin.

"Whoa, someone was happy to get away form everyone"

Hermione was breathing in hard, "Who did you say was barking?"

"Karkaroff" Harry said as he joined them.

"He was like frozen on Harrys scar and then Moody came and he as like 'You!' and then he left. Balderdash" Ron added as they reached the Fat Lady. She opened up, "Weird huh Hermione?"

"Yeah…weird" Hermiones head was away in its own place world, one that involved a guy on his way to the Hufflepuff Common room.

- - -

"Stupid bloody Weasley" Cedric Diggory muttered as he neared Hufflepuffs entrance. He kept relaying in his head his interaction with Hermione. He cringed as he remembered how rude and cold he'd been. He kept seeing her take the red heads hand and run up the stairs.

_So, am I right? Is it time for revenge?_ The voice in his head asked.

Yeah,Cedric thought to himself,Operation: Moon is in action.

"Granger if you want to play it that way…Let the games begin" He said to himself as he walked through the tunnel that led into the Hufflepuff Common room.

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**A/N: **Hey! I know two updates in less than 24hours – SHOCK HORROR!! Sorry if Cedrics a bit OOC - I didn't mean him to be, it sjust we don't see much of him, so he can't be _that_ OOC. Seriously though, please let me know whatever thoughts are going through your head obviously, ones that are related to the fic, I don't want to know if you want to eat a banana or whatever!! LoL!! Is it doing okay? The fic, not the banana! This_ competition _won't last very long, well, at least until the Yule Ball, but after that smooth sailing, the start to get along in, like, two or three chapters, so don't fret, I have it all planned…I think!! Just REVIEW1 review! REVIEW!

**Love Always,**

FireboltPheonix . . . _Ooo__xxX_


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